Film splicer

ABSTRACT

A film splicer in which two pieces of film may be cut so as to exactly abut each other and then taped on both sides while the two ends of the film are clamped firmly in place relative to each other. The two ends of the film are held firmly in clips which can be pivoted so as to carry the two ends of the film over a cutting block and also into a splicing well where the tape is applied. Provision is made to store spare tabs of splicing tape on the bottom of the device.

States Patent 1191 Gustafson 1 Sept. 3, 1974 1 1 FILM SPLICER 3,136,678 6/1964 116m 156/506 x Y 3,709,079 l/1973 Wurker 83/685 X [76] Inventor- 2 i?" 2323 3,717,535 2/1973 Jorgensen 156/506 x ve., 1oux a s, a

[22] Filed: Apr. 5, 1973 Primary ExaminerFrank T. Yost [21] pp NO 348 227 Attorney, Agent, or FirmJacobson and Johnson 57 ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl 156 505 83 154, 83 607, 1 l 83/9/26 R A film splicer n which two pieces of film may be cut 51 Int. Cl B3lf 5/06 as exaaly abut each other and taped 58 Field Of Search 83/154, 161, 926 R, 460, 30th Sides while two ends film are clamped 83/607 156/506 159 502 505 firmly 1n place relative to each other. The two ends of the film are held firmly in clips which can be pivoted [56] References Cited so as to carry the two ends of the film over a cutting block and also into a splicing well where the tape is UNITED STATES PATENTS applied. Provision ismade to store spare tabs of splic- SRpe :lr)1clert....i 156/506 m tape on the bottom of the device Cl e e a 3,004,883 10/1961 Manchester 156/506 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDSEP 3:974

sum Ill .3

PAIENTED sEP 3l974 sum aor 3 PAIENIEUSEP 31 1 sum am 5 FIG. 9

3o I I FILM SPLICER The prior art recognizes a large variety of film splicing machines of various designs and complexity. However, all these machines suffer the disadvantage that once the film has been cut and is ready for splicing, it must be removed from the machine one or more times in order to permit the application of splicing tape to both sides of the film. When the film is removed, it is always difficult to reinsert it in the proper position for splicing. Misaligned film joints often result from this procedure. Furthermore,- the process is clumsy and time consuming. My invention overcomes these problems as described hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, my invention contemplates clamping the two ends of the film 'in perfectly aligned clips. Both clips are mounted about a common pivot axis so that the two ends of the film may be placed over a cutting block and thence into the tape splicing well without the two pieces of film ever moving-relative to each other. The pivotable film holding clips are provided with rest stops against which the filmis held in a precise position. The clips are also provided with spring urged lugs which pass through the clips and the sprocket holes in the film to hold the film firmly in place against the rest stop. Other unique features of my invention include an S- shaped cutting blade on the cutting head which cuts the two ends of the film in such a way as to minimize creasing of the spliced film at the junction. This S-shaped cutting blade is positioned to cut the film exactly be tween the sprocket holes.

It may therefore be seen that it is an object of my invention to provide a film splicer in which the two ends of the film can be cut simultaneously with matching cuts and the two sides of the filmtaped without moving the two ends of the film relative to each other. Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing the various components thereof with a number of minor details omitted for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a detail drawing of the pivoting lever arm that carries the cutting blade down on the cutting block so as to cut the two pieces of film.

FIG. 3 is a detail front view of the pivotable film holding clips.

FIG. 4 is a sectional edge view of the pivotable film holding clips of FIG. 3 taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pivoting film holding clips showing how the spring urged lugs and the rest stop pieces secure the film in place in these clips.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the film splicing well which holds the tape for the splicing operation.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show three subsequent steps demonstrating how the film is cut and spliced with the present invention.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. l, a base 10 is shown supported by a pair of legs 11 and 12. Mounted to the top of base 10 is a riser block 14 which supports the film splicing well 18 thereupon. At the rear of base 10 is a block 16 upon which is hinged a lever arm 20 which carries a blade mounting block 22 and a cutting blade 24 thereon. The cutting block 26 is secured to the top of base 10. Elements 10, ll, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 26 may be constructed of any suitable materials such as metal, or plastic, and may be fastened together by any suitable means such as by gluing or small screws or both. In the preferred embodiment, clear plastic has been employed throughout except for metal in block 22, blade 24, and well 18, but it is clear that many other materials would work equally well.

A film holding spring metal clip 30 is shown in FIG. I mounted between a pairof pivot brackets 32 and 34 which are suitably secured to the side of base block 10.

In addition, another spring metal clip 36 is secured to the top of base 10 so as to extend around underneath base '10. It is'contemplated that additional quantities of splicing tape may be stored underneath base 10 and secured in place by means of clip 36. The various components shown in FIG. 1 may be more readily seen in detail in the remaining figures.

Lever am 20 pivoted on hinge block '16 is more clearly seen in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, plastic hinge block 16 is pivoted with four fingers 17 which intermesh with five fingers :19 extending down from lever 20. A hinge pin 21 passes through all of these fingers to provide a highly accurate and carefully aligned hinge action. It will be evident, of course, that other forms of hinges could be equally well used and the oneshown in the preferred embodiment is exemplary only. Blade mounting block 22 on lever 20 is provided with a slot in the shape of an S to accommodate S-shaped blade 24. This produces an S-shaped cut in the film as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 6. It has been found that this is a unique improvement in that a straight cut across the film makes it exceedingly likely thatthe film will crease at the splice whereas the S-shaped cut prevents creasing.

To insure that both ends of the film are securely held in place relative to each other for the cutting and taping operations, a unique pivoting filrnholding clip 30 is provided which is shown in greater detail in FIGS I3 and 4. Film holding'clip 30 comprises two branches 41 and 43, each formed out of a pair of thin pieces of spring metal and 42. Spring metal. members 40 and 42 are held in close proximity by inserting them in a slot 45 in the pivot shaft 47. Shaft 47 extends between holes in support brackets 32 and 34. To insure easy inseition of the film between the two spring metal members 40 and 42, the tops thereof are curved outward to form flanges 44 and 46. Secured to the sides of branches 41 and 43 of the film holding clip 30 are a pair of fiat springs 48 and 49 secured to the pivot shaft 47 by screws 50 and 51. Springs 48 and 49 are provided with small lugs 52 at the ends thereof which extend through holes in members 40 and 42. Between members 40 and 42 is a rest stop plate 55 which is permanently secured to members 40 and 42 by any suitable means such as rivets, glue, or the like.

In operation, two pieces of film and 61v are inserted between members 40 and 42 as shown in FIG. 5. The film is pushed past lugs 52 causing spring 48 to move out of the way. Each of the film strips 60 and 61 come to rest on the rest plate 55. The film is then slid back and forth slightly until lug 52 springs into one of the sprocket holes 63 in the filmstrips. The slanted edges of the'lugs 52 cause the film to be held firmly down against the rest stop 55 in precise alignment. The spacing of lugs 52 on springs 48 and 49 is such that the sprocket holes 63 in both pieces of film 60 and 61 line up in the space between branches 41 and 43.

With the film thus held securely in place and properly aligned, the film clip 30 may be pivoted as shown by the arrow 70 in FIG. 7 down onto cutting block 26. Lever arm is then brought down-as shown by the arrow in FIG. 8 so as to press the'S-shaped cutting blade 24 down against the'film strips 60 and 61 to cut them off in exact alignment such as shown in FIG. 6. Lever arm 20 is then raisedjas shown by arrow 73 in FIG. 9, and the film holding clip 30 is pivoted over into the splicing well 18 as shown by the arrow 74 in FIG. 9.

Since branches 41 and 43 of film holding clip 30 lie on either side of the cutting block, the film is cleanly exposed for'cutting. Likewise, when the film holding clip 30 pivots the other direction, branches 41 and 43 lieon either. side of the splicing well 18 so that the film is positioned as shown in FIG. 6 directly on top of a piece of splicing tape 76 which is previously inserted into the bottom of splicing well 18. Film strips 60 and 61 are pressed into place-on the sticky surface of tape 76 and then the tape is folded over to repeat the process on the opposite side. Many commercially available splicing tapes are provided which are sized to fit perfectly about the film. These splicing tapes are even provided with sprocket holes whichalign accurately with the sprocket holes in the film. Splicing well 18 is sized and aligned in such a way that once the conventional splicing tape is positioned therein, it automatically,

aligns with the sprocket holes in the film strip 60 and fil'making any adjustment in position unnecessary.

Returning to FIG. 1, another unique feature of the invention should be pointed out. Riser block 14 is provided with a pattern of clearance grooves 80, 81 and 82, which permit film holding clip 30 to be brought down flush aboutsplicing well 18. Groove 80 accepts the curved flanges 46 of film holding clip 30 whereas grooves 81 and 82 accept spring clips 48 and 49. In this way, the film can be brought down snugly and flatly into splicing well 18 as shown in FIG. 6. To prevent film holding clip 30 from moving too easily or falling under the influence of gravity, shaft 46 is frictionally engaged by a small shaft 84. which slides into a hole in a larger member 85. (See'FlG. 3). A small spring is incorporated inside member 85 to urge shaft 84 up against pivoting shaft 47.-Shaft 85 is threadably mounted into base Numerous variations can be made to. the invention shown. For example, it is contemplated that blade mounting block 22 can be made adjustable to insure that blade 24 always cuts exactly between the sprocket holes on the film. Other variations include various other types of mechanisms designed to secure the film in place in the pivoting film clip 30. Since'many minor changes could ,be effected, the following claims are presented with the intention of covering only the inventive concepts shown herein.

I claim:

1. A film splicer comprising in combination:

a base having a cutting surface and a splicing surface thereon;

film holding means on said base between said cutting surface and said' splicing surface, and pivotable about an axis running generally along said surface soas to be operable to carry the ends of two pieces of film in abutting relationship into position on the cutting surface and the splicing surface, said film holding means comprising a pair of proximate spring members extending up from the pivot axis in two branches, one for each of said twopieces of film, with spring urged lugs on each branch of the spring members which extend through holes in the spring members and through the sprocket holes in the two pieces of film;

a cutting means on said base operable to make congruent cuts in the ends of said two pieces of film when said filmis on said cutting surface.

2. The film splicer of claim 1 in which said film holding means includes a rest stop member between the spring members upon which the two pieces of film can rest, one in each branch, in precise alignment with each other.

3. The splicer of claim 2 in which said splicing surface includes a splicing well sized to hold splicing tape in correct alignment with the film held between said two branches of the spring members.

4. The splicer of claim 3 in which said cutting means comprises a lever arm pivoted on said base to carry a cutting blade against the film on said cutting surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said cutting blade comprises an S-shaped blade.

6. The splicer of claim 5 including support legs and spare splicing tape storage means under said base. 

1. A film splicer comprising in combination: a base having a cutting surface and a splicing surface thereon; film holding means on said base between said cutting surface and said splicing surface, and pivotable about an axis running generally along said surface so as to be operable to carry the ends of two pieces of film in abutting relationship into position on the cutting surface and the splicing surface, said film holding means comprising a pair of proximate spring members extending up from the pivot axis in two branches, one for each of said two pieces of film, with spring urged lugs on each branch of the spring members which extend through holes in the spring members and through the sprocket holes in the two pieces of film; a cutting means on said base operable to make congruent cuts in the ends of said two pieces of film when said film is on said cutting surface.
 2. The film splicer of claim 1 in which said film holding means includes a rest stop member between the spring members upon which the two pieces of film can rest, one in each branch, in precise alignmenT with each other.
 3. The splicer of claim 2 in which said splicing surface includes a splicing well sized to hold splicing tape in correct alignment with the film held between said two branches of the spring members.
 4. The splicer of claim 3 in which said cutting means comprises a lever arm pivoted on said base to carry a cutting blade against the film on said cutting surface.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said cutting blade comprises an S-shaped blade.
 6. The splicer of claim 5 including support legs and spare splicing tape storage means under said base. 